While customs are sometimes made with small size runs in mind, for the most part, they’re typically a one-of-one scenario. However, the sneaker industry is becoming more and more privy to the work of customizers, often times contracting out a select few to work on special projects that are extremely hard to come by. PUMA decided to change this up to be a company for the people, by the people, by teaming up with artist ALEXANDER-JOHN to create a truly unique concept. The result is THE POLYMATH EXPERIMENT.
A polymath is a person that has knowledge in many different fields and uses it to solve a problem. ALEXANDER-JOHN’s THE POLYMATH EXPERIMENT is based on the entrepreneur culture that made America what is and what it continues to be. ALEXANDER-JOHN flew to Boston to work with a team of Scientists, Artists, Engineers, Animators and Architects to make this project come to life.
Selecting the Puma Suede as his silhouette of choice for this release, ALEXANDER-JOHN used laser engraving on five different spots on the shoe. The symbols represent Philadelphia and the aforementioned entrepreneurial lifestyle. The unique way each shoe is made makes each pair special: the artist turns the shoe by hand while resizing the engraving for each new spot. To make these even more of a unique release, the laser engraving on the sole leaves behind Vaporized Rubber Residue, more commonly know as VRR. The powder coating will naturally come off during wear or can be wiped out to reveal a perfectly etched design.
This release will produce only 24 pairs and for all those Philadelphia heads, you can attend this truly historic collaborative effort Friday, September 4th at the King of Prussia Mall PUMA store at 3pm with a live art installation as well.
For more details on ALEXANDER-JOHN’s release you can follow him on Instagram and for all of your other custom news keep it locked here on Nice Kicks.
